My 2nd First Week at Shore Fire

First week at a new job is always a little crazy. First week at a new job you've been trying to get for almost three years, borderline surreal. See back in the Fall of 2003, I decided it was time to move back to New York and get a job in the music biz because, well, how hard could it be? I liked music. I read Rolling Stone. I know what I’m talking about. Why couldn’t I do it? Well after 3 weeks of unreturned emails and phone calls, I found out I didn’t know as much as I thought I did. Lucky for me, Rebecca Shapiro at Shore Fire Media needed an intern. And thanks to the kind words of a friend of a friend (and Rebecca’s sharp judge of character) I got the gig. I was in. Sort of. It was a wild 6 months of 6-7 day work weeks (3 at Shore Fire, 3-4 slinging pasta at tourists in the Village), but eventually it was time to move. I was headed over to Universal Classics for a full time gig assisting VP of Publicity Olga Makrias. Yet I always had my eye on coming back.

Well wouldn’t you know it, after Universal Classics and some time doing online entertainment publicity at Deep Focus, luck struck again this past Monday when I entered the front door not as an intern, but as a full fledged employee. I’m working at Shore Fire baby! And I have to say for my first week, it’s gone pretty well. Tuesday night myself, Nick Baily and Bianca Martinez saw an amazing performance from new Shore Fire client Erin McKeown at Joe’s Pub (look for the new disc in Jan. ‘07). Wednesday I showed up to my first What’s Up meeting, and was actually able to let everybody know that indeed something was up (Thanks Adriana Leshko!). And this evening I’ll finish out my first week with a few tapas, a few drinks and the divine stylings of Australia’s own The Cat Empire. And they PAY ME for this. Wild. Looks like in the end I found out I could do this after all.

No matter how many press releases we write...

...I'm not sure we'll ever be able to live up to this standard. A tip of the hat to perhaps the most hilarious media campaign that's ever existed:

A statement from fictional Kazakh reporter Borat's D.C. press conference outside the Embassy of Kazakhstan:

"Jagshemash, my name Borat Sagdiyev. I would like to comment on recent advertisments on television and in media about my nation of Kazakhstan, saying that women are treated equally, and that all religions are tolerated — these are disgusting fabrications. These claims are part of a propoganda campaign against our country by evil nitwits Uzbekistan — who as we all know are a very nosey people, with a bone in the middle of their brain.

"There is a man name Roman Vasilenko who is claiming to be Press Secretary of Kazakhstan. Please do not listen this man, he is Uzbek imposter, and is currently being hunted by our agents. I must further say on behalf of my government, that if Uzbekistan do not desist from funding these attacks, then we will not rule out the possibility of military intervention. ...

"Furthermore, all claims that our glorious leader is displeased with my film, 'Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazahkstan' is lie. Infacts main purpose of Premier Nazharbayev's visit to Washingtons is to promote this moviefilm. This why together with Ministry of Information he will be hosting a screening tomorrow evening, to which he have invitate Premier George Walter Bush and other American dignitaries — Donald Rumsfeld, Bill Gates, O.J. Simpson and Mel Gibsons. This screening will be followed by cocktail party and a discussion of closer ties between our countries at Hooters, on 825 7th Street.

"Thank you, I must now return to Embassy where my government need me.

"Chenquieh"

I predict Borat will take over the entire universe of pop culture when the movie's out in a month. Yeah, I'm not really going out on a limb there am I?

Nashville Talking About James Hunter

James Hunter performed at the Americana Music Association Awards last weekend, where he was nominated in the New & Emerging Artist category. He didn't win but he did make some new friends, including fellow Shore Fire client Elvis Costello. According to GO Records prez and all-around great person Kimberly Guise, "James got stopped constantly just walking down the street in Nashville."

RIP Etta Baker

Etta Baker, my personal favorite of the Piedmont blues and rag guitarists died on Saturday at age 93 of a stroke. If you haven't heard her yet, I recommend picking up her album 'Railroad Bill' from the kind folks at Music Maker Relief Foundation, who helped Baker with necessities towards the end of her life. American culture lost a true treasure over the weekend.

Stars behold Sam Moore at the Conan O'Brien show

It was a star studded night at the Conan O’Brien show last night. I was there with Shore Fire client and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Sam Moore who performed an incredible rendition of “Don’t Play That Song (You Lied)” with Bekka Bramlett from his new cd ‘Sam Moore: Overnight Sensational.’

Just before Sam performed we caught a photo with Sam and Desperate Housewives’ Marcia Cross who was also a guest that night. She looked absolutely radiant and was incredibly sweet.



As Sam was headed back to his dressing room, WNBC’s Sue Simmons was coming around the bend. She instantly recognized him they chatted for a few moments before she had to run off to prepare for the news.

After Sam and Bekka’s animated performance, Conan brought Sam over to the couch as he signed off the show.

After the show was over, it was drummer Max Weinberg who stopped in to chat with Sam and congratulate him on his performance.

Did Someone Call For YouTube Friday?

That's too good a challenge to pass up. Remember when being ambitious was what the kool kid musicians did? When not being able to play your instrument didn't really get you a lot of respect? When playing an instrument like all fast and complicated was what made you a badass?

Well, me neither. I missed that bit. But I have visual proof that such a time did exist. Behold Edgar Winter:



That's about all I have time for today but if you've found yourself suddenly in a prog mood this might be just the thing to cure it. I did consider posting the actual best video on YouTube, Fear Of Pickles, but I decided that wouldn't be sporting.

Wild Night in the Underground Garage....

Last night's Little Steven's Underground Garage Rolling Rock and Roll Show at the Irving Plaza was a virtual who's who of rock n' roll. Not only did the extravaganza feature raucous performances by local band The Anderson Council, The Woggles, The Fleshtones, The Mooney Suzuki and The Zombies (yes The Zombies!!) but the following tastemakers were also on hand: Lenny Kaye, Bob Gruen, Handsome Dick Manitoba, Kid Leo, Jean Beauvoir, Jeremy Tepper, plus rock journalists David Fricke of Rolling Stone, Mary Huhn of NY Post, JR Taylor of NY Press, April Long of Nylon and more. Don't fret- the tour will return in Oct and Nov with a whole new lineup.

I managed to snap a few photos before my batteries died. Check them out at:
Diana's Underground Garage Photos

YouTube Friday: Pub Rock Edition

I’d bet dollars to donuts YouTube sees its highest traffic on Fridays. What better way to kick off the weekend than watching some serious jams? Idolator got a jump on this earlier in the week by compiling The Five Greatest Public Access Music Clips Of All Time.

We have our obsessions here at Shore Fire too, and I thought I’d indulge mine by posting My Four Favorite Pub Rock Clips Of All Time. Why only four? That’s all I could find worth sharing, but it’s seems befitting this perpetually also-ran genre.

Ever since discovering Ducks Deluxe a couple years ago on a compilation called Glitterbest I’ve been hopelessly devoted to pub rock. If you’re into high-energy, no-nonsense, good-time rock & roll, check this stuff out.


If pub rock has a patron saint, it’s Nick Lowe. There’s a lot of Nick on YouTube, but this is the earliest clip I’ve come across, featuring an incredible performance by his early band Brinsley Schwarz. Also features the coolest haircut you’ll see today.



The Groovies were a lot of things to a lot of people, but their influence was perhaps most pronounced on the pub rock scene. Already veterans by the time of this 1972 clip, they perfected a back-to-basics approach that would become one pub rock's hallmarks.



One of the few pub rock bands to break out of the scene, Dr. Feelgood had a #1 record in the UK once upon a time (and it was a live record, no less!). They never made much of an impression in the States, even though music biz legend (and current Blue Note Prez) Bruce Lundvall was a major booster and tried to break them over here. This clip ca. 1975 from Old Grey Whistle Test features the first - and best - Feelgoods lineup. If you’re down w/ The Hives, check out their blueprint!



The greatest punk band that no one considers to be punk. Everyone’s all The Clash! The Damned! The Ramones! But for my money, Eddie and The Hot Rods truly bridged the gap between the old and new waves of rock and roll in the 70s. Their debut LP ‘Teenage Depression’ is a stone classic. Check ‘em out performing the title track here.

16 hours, 45 minutes in Detroit

I jumped on a plane at 10am yesterday to attend Heineken’s Red Star Soul concert in Detroit. (It's a series of soul music events across the country featuring new and established talent). Last night's concert was full of great music and jampacked with people. Me, or Carrie from Shore Fire, will be attending all of them!

I was happy to run into my friend Carlos Henderson. He’s an amazing bass player who has most recently played with former Shore Fire client, vocalist Lizz Wright. Tonight he was performing with Amel Larrieux who was the headliner for the event. He told me that he and his wife are expecting! Congratulations!!

At 4:45am this morning, I was headed to the airport to catch a 6:40am flight back to NYC.

Happy 84th, David Gahr - Fete for Legendary Photographer

It was worth driving 80 mph on the Jersey Turnpike yesterday morning to make it to Manhattan's Cosmic Diner (52 St. and 8th Ave.) in time to sing "Happy Birthday" to legendary photographer and all-around mensch David Gahr. Gahr, who turned 84 this week, is known to us not only as a great shooter who captured some of the best images ever of musicians such as Bruce Springsteen; Bob Dylan; Miles Davis; John Lennon, Janis Joplin (see the great photos) and so many top stars. He's also one of the funniest, most irreverent, and occasionally downright vulgar photogs we'd ever let near a superstar. When David is around his subjects, he's the star!

David's good friend, the venerable scribe and man-about-town Arthur Levy, organized the guest list, ordered the birthday cheesecake from S&S,chauffeured the guest of honor from Brooklyn's Park Slope in the midst of the season's worst traffic (thanks to the United Nations) and managed to keep the whole thing a secret.



Biff Henderson, of the Letterman Show, happened in on his lunch break; Arthur pursuaded him to say hi to Dave.

David Gahr surprised even those who've known him for decades with a story about meeting Marilyn Monroe when David was on assignment to cover Monroe's husband Arthur Miller (Monroe had only a bathrobe on, and she pulled a photo of his out from under it.) Hanging on every word were: "Sing Me Back Home" producer Leo Sacks; Holly George Warren, author of an upcoming bio of Gene Autry, who also volunteered to drive David to his account in Queens after the bash; long-time Gahr attorney Joel Siegel; independent record producer Gregg Geller; Verve's Joe McEwen; former Sony pr VP Mary Ellen Cataneo McEwen, looking gorgeous while chatting about Montclair, kids and the record biz with her erstwhile colleagues, pr consultants Howard Wuelfing and Keith McCarthy; Andy Schwartz, taking a break from work on his forthcoming rock history book (with Scott Schinder) for an educational publisher; Legacy producer Steve Berkowitz, who's just completed 'Johnny Cash: the Legend, Volume 2' and is working on a complete collection of the works of Lonnie Johnson; former Sony staffer Barry Feldman, whose Barry Feldman Financial Services for NY Life specializes in music biz clients; Sony BMG Special Markets' Doug Wygal; and our wonderful friends at Legacy, those intelligent and soulful guys Jeff Jones, Adam Block, Tom Laskey, John Jackson and Randy Haecker.

Happy Birthday, David Gahr! 84 years young...and feisty!

"How Hard was Their Core" & my first month in New York

Kelefah Sanneh's essay today in todays Times, "How Hard Was Their Core", occassioned by a new documentary and book, was smart (as usual) & it got me to reminiscing. You know, "back in the day." I've been thinking about Flipper lots in the past couple of weeks -- they get a passing mention in K's story -- because they're back together and had a gig (which I missed) earlier this week at sadly-soon-to-go-forever CBGBs. Man, 'Generic' Flipper just killed me back when it came out in 1982. No one I knew had ever heard anything like it, I certainly hadn't. It was the nastiest, evilist music I'd ever heard. It's still pretty scary. (don't listen to 'Generic' if you're feeling depressed).

But I did see Flipper's first gig in New York City in September, 1982, my first month in New York City (for college). My cool friend dragged my to see 'em. I'm sure I hadn't heard any of their music at that point -- we pretty much read Christgau's "Voice Choices" and went where he said to go -- and in truth I can't remember anything about the music that night. But I do remember that Flipper went on around 3 or 4am, and the club was called the Fallout Shelter, somewhere in the Times Square area. The story was their plane was delayed, and they weren't in a great mood. The stage, I think, was right on the floor. We made it back to Columbia as the sun came up.

I also saw Johnny Thunders that month at the legendary Mudd Club (filmed for a movie). Johnny got into a fight onstate with the scenster/actor/heroin addict Gringo & swung his Les Paul Jr. by the neck at the guy. And I remember being at Danceteria way late, but leaving before the Replacements came on (who knew how good they were then?).

Madeleine Peyroux Charms @ Conan

There goes Sue Simmons...hey that was Chuck Scarborough! Another day of fun local newsanchor spotting while roaming the halls at the NBC studios in NYC for a taping of the Late Night with Conan O'Brien. This past Monday afternoon, Mark and I had the fortune of spending time with singer Madeleine Peyroux, who was making her debut on the show. She was charming and quite funny as we passed the time in the newly-revamped (check out the leather couches) artists green room, sipping Starbucks cappuccinos and talking about the merits of a good pair of jeans. Booker Jim Pitt was also on hand to chat for a few minutes-always great to see him when he's in town:
Madeleine's band mates, Sam Yahel, Matt Penman and Scott Almendola, were all really cool, witty and laidback-always makes passing the incredibly loong period of downtime at a taping easier.

After watching supermodel Gisele Bundchen prance down the hallway, Madeleine and her band went on and did a TERRIFIC job of performing her new single "I'm All Right". Go Madi!

Golem Hits the LES with NY1 News

I have to confess that I’m a bit of a junkie for NY1 news. I watched it nonstop during the transit strike this past winter, and I make a point of watching Pat Kiernan’s ‘In The Papers’ segment every morning. So, I was thrilled when I got a green light from them for a segment on Golem, a funky Eastern European folk-rock outfit helmed by singer and accordionist Annette Ezekiel.

On Monday night , reporter Ruschell Boone came to a private show they performed at Manna Hatta on Bowery to film some concert footage , and yesterday Annette gave Ruschell a tour of “her” lower east side. Here , Annette is talking about the Ukranian church on 7th street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues where she used to dance as a child, and was first exposed to this music. We also visited the Hebrew Actors Union building across the street, and the now-shuttered 2nd Avenue Deli.

One thing that amazes me about NY1 is how versatile they are- Ruschell was the writer, director, editor, reporter, producer, and camerawoman for the piece, and it aired just hours after she finished shooting the final frame with Annette.

The story is available here if you'd like to check it out.

Kempy Eats Pizza and Dumplings Too!

I invited the primo music journalist and my pal Rob Kemp to "Pizza Friday" last week. It was so nice of him to make the trek out to Brooklyn from his East Village pad, especially in the dreadful rain! Rob was a nice addition to the Shore Fire crew, he got along with everyone very well and we laughed a lot:) (below, l-r Lily, the top of Bianca's head, Diana, me, Rob)


It was the first time some of the Shore Fire peeps met Rob but Mark has been friends with him for a while (see Rob (L) and Mark (R) below). In fact Mark told us that when Rob was just starting at Time Out NY ten years ago, he called him up to say "Hey man, I really liked your story on Pearl Jam. Want to hang out?" Rob said it was the first time a publicist had ever invited him to dinner, he thought it was so cool. Mark took him to a dumpling place in Chinatown...Rob thanked Mark for introducing him to soup dumplings and said that it was something he'll never forget.

I can only hope that Mr. Kemp will remember his Friday pizza at Shore Fire as fondly as he does the Chinatown dumplings.

Mazel Taj

Michael, Diana, and I hung out this past weekend with Shore Fire’s dear friend and Charlie Rose Show producer Taj Greenlee, who just celebrated his birthday (we won’t tell how many years old...or young). The gathering was at the super fancy, trendy, and top-secret basement bar at The Hotel On Rivington.


Here’s a shot of the four of us all dolled up. Don’t be fooled by the tame photograph — it was quite the scene, the details of which we won’t go into here. Never a dull moment with Mr. Greenlee.

A Brooklyn state of mind...

So I spend a lot of time in Brooklyn. Shore Fire's here of course (that's the view from the window to the right), and I live a block away. Sometimes it just feels like my entire world axis is an area within a 100 yard radius of Remsen and Court Streets, Brooklyn Heights. I also necessarily spend a lot of time thinking about writing, especially music writing -- hey, I'm even writing now. See what I mean?

So it was interesting this weekend to stop in and see a few things at the (first ever) Brooklyn Book Festival across the street. I'd say the area's becoming quite a writer's bastion, but given Heights residents like Walt Whitman, Truman Capote, and Norman Mailer perhaps "becoming" is the wrong word. I got to hear a bit of the Saturday readings with Jonathan Lethem, Carl Hancock Rux, Rick Moody, and quite a few others -- but what was most interesting was to see the great turnout, a plaza full of people sampling author / publisher / bookstore booths like it was the Union Square farmer's market.

Many props to Shore Fire friend and deft music scribe Eric Demby, now working in the Brooklyn Borough President's office and one of the guys that made it all happen, and I look forward to the next one.

Fretboard Friday...

One of the most interesting magazines to come along in the past year has been the Fretboard Journal, so we were delighted when publisher Jason Verlinde came to visit our office this afternoon to drop off a copy of the new issue. Here's a shot of Jason and I in the CD room:

Welcome to the working week...

....here at Shore Fire. Suite 16 is a place for our gang to let you know what we're up to and what our clients are doing. What we're thinking about in the media world, the entertainment world, the music world. Places we've been, places we're going. Every once in a while, what we had for lunch. Thanks and enjoy.